Discernment [One Letter Stands Out]

I’ve been on a roll lately, writing about and posting a few of my dark experiences. Hey, why not keep the self-expressive therapy ball rolling. Approximately 20 years ago, while living here in Denver, Colorado, I began to see something sweep across the nation. Like most signs, symbols, and codes, this thing was hidden in plain sight and right before our eyes.

At the time, I was dating a woman whom I should not have been dating, not then or any other time. Although very physically attractive, she did not live her life by any of the same boundaries as I do. The relationship was one of convenience and selfishness. We were attracted to each other and suffered from the same drug addiction.

My girlfriend was a dancer [stripper]. I did not meet her at a club. I’m not one to sit in a strip club. We met at my job while I was working as a cook and bartender at a steakhouse in Commerce City, Colorado. At the time, my supply of drugs had been basically [limitless]. I could easily compare our relationship to [leasing each other], or [mutual use]. She had clients, and I had product. Such an ugly lifestyle is not uncommon in the drug world.

I’m not glorifying; those days are some of the darkest memories that I have. I could spend weeks writing about that chapter of my life and still not cover everything. Every so often, another painful memory creeps back into my mind. We lived together for one year, and the relationship ended with me arrested for drug possession. During that year, my heart and soul would be tested repeatedly. Even though I was lost in addiction and crime, I did not cross the boundaries that separate my soul from darkness. I will never be an evil person.

During that relationship, my ability to discern had been continuously tested. On many occasions, my suspicions were validated by the woman I lived with, either intentionally or without her knowledge. How can I word this? My girlfriend did not own a stitch of clothing that was not black. Yes, it was like that. In many ways, we were complete opposites.

Anyway, around that time, I began to see something on television, media, marketing, and all around our world. And what did I see? The letter [V]. The letter [V] began to be used and exaggerated everywhere. Whether alone or as part of a word, the letter [V] began to stand out from the rest. There are hundreds, even thousands of examples. Sometimes the [V] is also used in architecture.  Example: The View, with a giant V used in the title. Verizon, with a giant V. And on, and on, and on.

This might seem silly or even ridiculous to some people. Heck, why would someone take notice of something so odd? Because everything is in the details, of course. Furthermore, why the letter [V]? Why is this important? Well, I’m aware of a few reasons why this might be used intentionally by some, but I don’t know if I’m ready to post my theories. No, I do not believe it’s part of an inverted pentagram. It’s much worse.

I require evidence to validate a theory. I believe in debunking everything. If I see a light in the sky, I call it a light in the sky. Hey, maybe it’s a UFO, but that simply means the object is unidentified. I don’t jump to aliens. I do not point to the unexplained and label something as a ghost, goblin, or demon. However, I have captured things with a camera that I could not explain or reproduce. A few of them have been quite spooky.

We live in a world secrets. Hidden signs and symbols surround us. I realize that most people are not interested in such things. In fact, life is so much simpler if we do not attempt to uncover the obscured. Unfortunately, some folks do not have a choice. Those individuals spend their lives struggling to cope with what they see and feel.

Joseph Shanklin

July 17, 2020